Telephone system



July 26, 1932. PHELPS 1,868,585

TELEPHONE SYSTEM Filed Jan. 6, 1932 ['0 TOLL OFERAERS POSITION FIRST RECORDING-COMPLE TING. TRUNK T0 TOLL OPERATORS Pas/now llh ENTOR H. EPHELPS ATTORNEY I Patented July 26, 1932 untrue rs HENRY E. PHELPS, on'rrrcnarron, new YORK, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN rnrln'rrronn AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY/A CORPORATION OF NEW- YORK TELEPHONE SYS TEM Application filed January This invention relates to telephone systems and particularly to systems wherein special character service is provided. v

The obgect of the invention is to provide means whereby a toll operator, upon answerbeen automatically extended to her position over a recordingacompleting trunk, maybe the more expeditiously informed of the identity of such a calling line.

.pleting trunk to the associated test pin of the subscribers line atthe DS-A switchboard. The A operator then checks for the tone by touching the tip of the cord to the testipim this condition being maintained until the A operator has completed f the check and sig naled the results of the check totlie toll opwhich the tone is removedby the toll operator from the recording completing trunk.

It has been found, however, that'the tone on the sleeve conductor is very likely to be same cable owing to the fact that since it is a single conductor, it cannot betransposed with another as is the case in a two-conductor circuit.

extent, the various tones on the sleeve con ductors find their way to the talking clrcults thereby givlng rise 4 ing conversation.

the control of the'toll operator as,in" some of tone on the trunk testpin prolongs" the periodof induction to other sleeve conductors as well as exposes theA, operatorstosubseao" quent incorrect checks.

ing the call of a subscriber whose line has One of the more prevalent and widely used means heretofore employed for accoinphsherator over the number-checking trunk after induced on other sleeve conductors'in' the" It has also been found that, to alimited' to undesirable noise dur- It has also been found undesirable to leave the connection of the tone to the trunk under e, 19a2. Serial N10. 555,097; f d

Accordingly, it is an objectofthe pres ent invention to provide new and improved arrangements whereby the connectionof tone to the sleeve conductor is placedunder the immediate control of the A operator and 4 r made efiectlve' only when the saldoperator is actually testingthe test piniofthe sub scribers linewith the tip of the Cord, and disconnect thetoiie whenthe pin and cord a tip are not in contact. In accordance with the invention,-therefore, one specificembodi-y ment of which is disclosed herein byway of illustration, this is accomplished in theffollowing improved mannerz' p A' network circuit is provided which inter connects all "of the recording completing trunks with the number -checking trunks and. the checking tone is applied to this network only at times when some A'operator is connected to a number-checkingtrunk andl is actually testing a required trunkasso'ciated ,1 e with subscribers line terminal. Under 'l'leseconditions arel'a'y provided at 'the operators positionYcircuit which operates: v onlywhen the tipof the cord is touching the test pin; and thereby connects a tone to the sleeve circuit o't'the answering end of the cord which is thenbeing used. I 'Since'the an swering portion of said oord is connected to the number checking trunk, the'tone is connected to the inetworl'ri mentioned above. It the toll operator has the properconditions set up, the network is, in turn, extendedto the sleeve connection of the recording courpleting trunk which extended the calling. line to'the to'll'position, to the correspondin test ma or said subscribers line at the i i 7 board 1 Touching the: tip of the calling end of the'cord to-the test completes the cir-" cuit of thel position relay-and through its contacts is closed a tone circuit to the test pin so that the A operator hears the tonejif the test pintested is the one associated with the line of the calling subscriberwhose number has been given to her by the toll. operator. As soonas the'rtipiofthe cord "plug is re" i moved from the test pin, th'e ci'rcuitof the; position relay is opened and the tone is re f moved from" the. sleeve "connection even i 7 I though the toll operator may foontinuetoq maintain the conditions necessary at her position for obtaining a check. This arrangement, therefore, applies the checking tone only momentarily to the recording completing trunk and thereby reduces to a minimum the period during which there may be induction into adjacent circuits or during which false cheeks may be made.

A clearer conception of the scope and purpose of the invention will be obtained from a consideration of the following description and claims taken in connection with the attached drawing which shows such parts of a subscribers line extension over a toll recording trunk together with such parts of a number-checkin g trunk interconnected therewith, the necessary cord for number checking and operators telephone circuit as is necessary for a complete understanding of the invention. One embodiment of the network interconnecting a plurality of record ing completing trunks and a plurality of number-checking trunks is also shown.

Subscriber 100, after removing his receiver from the switchhook, dials a toll operator impulse code which causes responsive automatic switches to extend his line to a toll operators position in the known manner. The toll recording trunk extending from the last switching stage to the operators position terminates in a jack in that position with a supervisory lamp associated therewith so that the seizure of the trunk by the prior switching stage causes the lighting of the lamp to indicate the presence of a call. The operator takes up the call with a regular holding or tollcord in the known manner and ascertains from the calling subscriber the fact that the line is to be further extended into an area for which a toll ticket and a verification of the calling line number is necessary. Under such circumstances, and to obtain this check, the. operator first obtains the number of the calling line from the subscriber and then depresses a positional key which, in cooperation with the toll, cord talking key, causes circuits to be closed for the operating relay 102. Relay 102 closes an obvious circuit for relay 103 which also operates.

The operator further takes into use one of a group of number-checking trunks NC which are available at her position and which connect said position with the special or A. operators position where the number-checking is to take place. Relay 129 is operated from the toll position in the known manner and this relay causes circuits to be closed which light lamp 118 at the A position to indicate to the checking operator thereat that service is required on the trunk associated with said lamp. The A operator, in response to the lighting of the lamp, inserts the answering plug 119 of a cord, such as 130, into the answering jack 131.. Thereafter the A operator depresses talking key 117, causes thereby the operation of relay 111 over an obvious circuit and further causes her telephone circuit 120 to be connected through the cord and across the talking conductors of the number-checking trunk whereupon she learns from the toll operator the number which is to be checked. The insertion of plug 119 into the jack 131 of the number-checking trunk closes a circuit from battery through the winding of relays 122 and 123 in series and resistance 121 in parallel therewith, conductor 124, sleeves of plug 119 and jack 131, lower winding of relay 121, to ground. lielay 121 operates and performs functions which are described hereinafter. The A operator is now ready to verify the number and, to accomplish this, touches the tip 115 011' the calling plug of the cord to the test pin of that subscribers line whose number was given by the toll operator. As is well known, this test pin is an extension of the sleeve conductor of the subscribers line to the A position. The connection of the tip 115 to the sleeve pin of any line causes a circuit to be closed from battery through the cutoii relay 10 1, conductor 116 and test pin, tip 115, top back contacts of relay 108, winding of relay 107, right bottom winding of induction coil 120 of the operators telephone circuit, ofl'norma1 contacts of dial 106, to ground. Relay 107 operates and connects a source of tone to the contacts of relay 107. With relays 111 andv 121 operated, the source of tone is further extended from the contacts of r lay 107 to the contacts of relay 111, through condenser 125, conductor 12 1, sleeves of plug 119 and jack 131 of the number-checking trunk, bottom contacts of relay 121, condenser 127, common conductor 126 which connects in parallel all the completing trunks through the contacts of their respective relays 103, condenser 128, contact of relay 103, to ground through the winding of coil 105. It, now, the number given by toll operator to the A operator corresponds to the number of the line from which the call is being made and to whose test pin the A operator has connected the tip 115 of the checking cord, the tone circuit above described is further extended over the established sleeve connection of said line, conductor 116, over a previously described circuit to ground on the contacts of dial 106. The tone is then further induced in the well known manner through the circuits of the A. operators telephone set and causes her to hear the tone which constitutes the check to be made and verifies the -fact that the number as given to her by the toll operator checks with the number of the line from which the call is being made. Should the number given by the subscriber be other than that of the line from which he is calling, the operator will have connected the tip of the plug to the test pin of the wrong line and on the contactslof dial l06; but will be com;

pleted only to coil without-any extension beyond that point, in whiclrcasethe operator will not hear the tone,findicating; thereby that the number as given is incorrect. c

When the operator removes tip from the test pin, relay 10 7 releases and thetone circuit is disconnected from the sleeve jconenection. The tone, therefore s connectedto' the sleeve wire only duringthemomentary;

interval when tip 115' is cQh Qtd t0 the pin of the subscribersline;andnotat anyother time. In this waythe-possibility of inducing the tone in other conductors carriedjin'the same cable is substantially reduced.

After the operator is satisfied that she has heardtheitone, an OK'signalis ti'fii lSmitted by the A operator to thetoll operator over the number-checkingtrunk in the well-known manner after whichthe special A? operator. withdraws plug '119rfrom the numberchecking trunk, while the toll operator :pro-

ceeds to extend the subscribers line in the dc-;

sired direction.

What isclalmed 1s: 1

1. In a telephone system, a callingline hav mg an I identifyingjconductor, an operators position, a first trunk line for extendingsaid callingl ne to sa d operators posit on, said trunk line having manually controlled means,

a second trunk line capable of operative inteia connection with said first trunk line through source of,

said manually controlled means, tone, and means respons ve to connect ons w th said identifying conductorgand with said second trunk line for apply ing,.said; source of 't'oneto said identlfyingconductor through said a manually controlled means of said first trunk line. e p 2. In a telephone system, a calling line having an identifying conductor, an operators position afirst group of trunk lin-es, each of said trunk lines having manually controlled means, means for extending said calling line to said operators position over one of said. trunk lines, a second group of trunk lines, each of said trunk lines of said second group being capable of operative interconnection with each trunk line of said first group through their respective manually controlled means, a source of tone, andmea-ns responsive to connections with the identifying con ductor of said calling line and with'a trunk line of said second group of applying-[said source of tone to said identifyingconductor through said manually controlled means of said trunk line of said first group which extended said callingline to said operators position. a a 1 3. In a telephone systenna calling linehaving an identifying conductor, an operators position, a first trunk line-for extending said lineto saidoperators position, said trunk line havingmanually controlled means; a second; trunk line capable of voperative inter,-

, connection withsaid first trunk linethrough said manually controlled means, a source of tone, a connecting cord, and means responsive to the operative connection between said first and said second trunk lines andtoa connection of saidf'cord with said second trunk; line and with said identifying conductor for connectingsaid source of 'toneto said identifying conductor through said cord, said firsttrunk line and said second trunk 4. In a telephone system, a calling line havingan identifying conductor,- an operators positioma first trunk line for extending said 3 callingilineto said operators position, manually controlled means insaid first trunk line,

a second trunkline capable of operative iii-- terconnection with said, first trunk line through saidmanually ,lcontrolled means, a

source of tone, a connecting cord, an opera tors telephone circuit operatively connected to said cord, and means responsiveto an operative,interconnection of said second trunk line with said first trunk line through said manually controlled means and toa further connectionof saidcord with said second trunkline and'with said identifying conductor for; connecting said source of tone to said 'operator s. telephone circuit through said cord said first and second trunk lines, andsaid identifying conductor. a a I 5. In a telephone system,a calling line having an identifying conductor, an operators position, a-trunk line for extending said calling lineto said op-eratorsposition, manually controlled-means infjsa d first trunk line, a second trunk line capable of operative inter- OnneCt-ionwith said firstltrunk line through saidmanually controlled means, a source of tone, ',a cord for connection with said second trunk line and with said identifying conductor,ja relay and; an operators telephone cir-,

cuit;operativelyassociated with said 00rd,,

means responsive to the connection of said cord with said dentifying conductor] for] operating said relay, and means responsive to the operationof said relay forconnecting saidsource of'tone to saidfoperators tele-' phone circuit through said cord, said second trunk line s aidfirsttrunk line, and said identifying conductor; a I 1 a 6; In a -t-elephone system, a first group of trunk lines for extending subscriber connections, as second-group of trunkjlines, a source of tone,-a network oftransmission circuits eX- I tendingbetweenfeach of the trunk linesof' said first groupjand eachoffthe trunk lines ofsaid second group, and manually controlled means responsive after the extension of a subscriberconnectionover a trunk line of-said first group and to a. further COIlnQCtiOIlIbB: tween a trunk line of said second group and said trunk line of said first group for establishing a tone circuit from said source of tone to said trunk line in said first group over said trunk line in said second group and through said network of transmission circuits.

7. In a telephone system, a subscribers line having an identifying conductor, an operators cord having a telephone circuit, a first group of trunk lines for extending subscriber connection, a second group of trunk lines, a source of tone, a network of transmission circuits extending between each of the trunk lines of said first group and each of the trunk lines of said second group, means responsive to a connection of said operators cord with said identifying conductor and with a trunk line of said second group'for connecting said source of tone to said trunk line of said second group, and means responsive after the extension of said subscribers line over a trunk line of said first group for extending a connection from said source of tone over said trunk line of said second group to said operators telephone circuit over said trunk line of said first group, said network of transmission circuits and said identifying conductor.

8. In a telephone system, a calling line having an identifying conductor, a first operators position, a group of trunk lines for extending subscriber connections to said first position, manually controlled means in each of said trunk lines, a second operators position, a second group of trunk lines connecting said first position with said second position, a relay in each of said trunk lines of said second group, a network of transmission circuits extending between contacts of each of said relays in said trunk lines of said second group and each of said manually controlled means in said trunk lines of said first group, means for ez-rending said calling line to said first position over a trunk line of said first group, a source of tone, a connecting cord at said second operato-rs position, an operators telephone circuit operatively associated with said cord, a relay in said operators telephone circuit, means responsive to a connection of said cord with a trunk line of said second group for operating said relay in said trunk line, means responsive to a connection of said cord with said identifying conductor for operat ing said relay in said operators telephone circuit, and means responsive to the operation of said manually controlled means in said trunk line of said first group over which said calling line was extended to said second opcrators position for completing atone circuit to said operators telephone circuit from said source of tone, said relay in said operators telephone circuit, contacts of said relay in said trunk line of said second group, said network of transmission circuits, said manually controlled means in said trunk line of said first group and said identifying conductor.

9. In a telephone system, a calling line liaving an identifying conductor, an operators position, a first trunk line for extending said calling line to said operators position, said trunk line having manually controlled means, a. second trunk line, a transmission circuit network extending between said first and said second trunk lines, a source of tone, and means responsive to connections with said identifying conductor and with said second trunk line for applying said source of tone to said identifying conductor through said transmission network and said manually controlledmeans of said first trunk line, and further responsive to'a disconnection between said identifying conductor and said second trunk line for the removal of said source of tone from said transmission network and said identifying conductor.

10. In atelephone system, a calling line having an identifying conductor, an operators position, a first group of trunk lines, each of said trunk lines having manually controlled means, means for extending said calling line to said operators position over one of said trunk lines, a second group of trunk lines, a network of transmission circuits extending between each of the trunk lines of said first group and each of the trunk lines of said second group, a source of tone, and means responsive to connections with the identifying conductor of said calling line and with a trunk line of said second group for applying said source of tone to said identifying conductor through said network of transmission circuits and said manually controlled means of said trunk line of said first group, and furtlier responsive to a disconnection between said identifying conductor and said second trunk for the removal of said source of tone from said identifying conductor and said network of transmission circuits.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 5th day of J anuary 193:2.

HENRY E. PHELPS. 

